News Blog

Suspect In Custody In Shooting Near Millington Base

Two National Guardsmen, Maj. William J. Crawford and Sgt. Maj. Ricky R. McKenzie, were transported to the Regional Medical Center of Memphis with non-life threatening injuries following an afternoon shooting at the National Guard Armory across the street from the Millington Naval base. One person was shot in the leg, the other in the foot. The shots were fired from a small handgun, according to Major Max Haston, Adjutant General of the Tennessee National Guard.

The suspect, a National Guardsman who has been described by some reports as an African-American man in his 30s, was taken into custody by the Millington Police Department. The suspect has not yet named.

The shots were not technically fired on the Naval base since the Armory is located across the street.

The shooting is being investigated by the local authorities, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

After the shooting, the Naval base was locked down for a short time as a precaution. That lockdown has been lifted.

"We were hoping it was just a drill when we first got the call," said Millington police chief Rita Stanback at the press conference.

At a press conference at 5 p.m., Haston said the shooting victims are National Guard recruiters with about 15 years of service or more. Haston wouldn't comment on a motive except to say, "We were going through administrative policies with this individual."